Pretending to be a genius starts with the civilization advancement assessment.

Chapter 215 Becoming Xu Chen's Apprentice, Six Major Forces (5.5K)

Lin Yi's gaze lingered on the woman standing quietly in front of the emerald green spaceship for only a moment.

Although her complex and unfathomable gaze stirred a subtle unease within him, Lin Yi immediately suppressed this thought.

Now is not the time to be distracted.

Lin Yi's entire attention was drawn by an invisible force, firmly locked onto the void directly in front of him, onto the majestic figure that exuded an aura that made his soul tremble.

The heart pounded heavily in the chest cavity, each beat squeezing out blood, as if encountering a natural enemy, sending a highly alert signal throughout the body.

Lin Yi was almost certain that the person in front of him was the eternal god who had orchestrated this life-or-death test for the Blue Star civilization, held the fate of billions of living beings in his hands, and could even reverse life and death!
Memories of his past life flashed rapidly through Lin Yi's mind.

At that time, after the assessment, Blue Star only received a cold announcement of the results in everyone's consciousness. Then, it was immediately taken over by the personnel of the "Purple Gold Star Alliance" and the entire civilization was evaluated, registered and arranged like goods.

Until his demise, he never knew which supreme being had presided over the test that determined the fate of the planet.

He had also searched for relevant information on the Pan-Spirit Alliance's virtual network, but likely due to insufficient permissions, he found nothing.

Unexpectedly, in this second life, thanks to his far superior civilization assessment and personal performance, he was able to confront this mysterious being directly.

Then, the woman next to her, whose aura was clearly at the Star Vortex level...
Lin Yi's mind raced. "Could it be that guardian of civilization from my past life who left us, those Blue Star Free Star Core-level beings, a valuable sum of start-up capital through the Purple Gold Star Alliance staff?"

Even though they had a Level 4 rating and were considered free, Earth was really remote, and traveling to other planets by spaceship would have required a considerable amount of money.

If it weren't for that unnamed guardian of civilization leaving them some funds, this group of people would have had to stay on Blue Star and work for the Purple Gold Star Alliance for at least a hundred or two hundred years before they could save up for their journey.

That might mean missing out on the initial recruitment for the newly established Leliate Mercenary Group, and even less chance of advancing to the Star Swirl level later on.

Therefore, Lin Yi was very grateful to this guardian of civilization.

Unfortunately, he also couldn't find any information about that guardian in his previous life.

Unexpectedly, we have the opportunity to meet again.

After all, being able to appear beside this deity in such a remote place speaks volumes about his identity.

"But what about the people from the Purple Gold Star Alliance?" Another question immediately arose.

Based on past experience and common procedures, after the assessment, the first organization to come into contact with the new civilization should be the official or semi-official organization responsible for guiding and registering them.

Why are only this deity and the suspected guardian present at this moment?
Has the process changed, or has his and Lan Xing's performance triggered some kind of special treatment?
Countless question marks, like boiling bubbles, churned and collided at the bottom of Lin Yi's heart.

However, Lin Yi knew that in the face of such an existence, any extra thoughts or hesitations could bring unpredictable consequences.

He forcefully suppressed all his confusion and instantly gathered his chaotic thoughts.

Then, without the slightest hesitation, Lin Yi merely adjusted his posture in the vacuum before facing the majestic figure of light and shadow runes, bowing respectfully.

The movements were fluid and natural, expressing the utmost respect while maintaining a dignified and unyielding demeanor.

"Lin Yi of the Blue Star Civilization pays homage to the great eternal deity."

His voice, transmitted directly through the vacuum via energy vibrations, rang out clearly and steadily.

Since the information received in the mind contains all the content of the civilization advancement assessment, it will naturally be clearly stated that the assessment is presided over by an eternal god-level being.

Therefore, addressing the other party as "Eternal God" is the safest and least likely to go wrong.

He thought to himself that regardless of whether the person in front of him was the examiner, his life level must be above the Transcendent Realm level, collectively referred to as "Eternal God," without a doubt.

The vacuum fell into absolute silence once again, as if even the starlight was frozen by the heavy atmosphere.

The towering figure remained motionless, and the flowing runes continued to rise and fall according to some mysterious law, as if it had been so since time immemorial.

Just as Lin Yi maintained his bowing posture, his mind racing as he tried to guess the other party's intentions, a voice, not through source energy resonance, rang out directly in his consciousness.

The voice was calm and distant, devoid of any emotional color.

"Personal assessment: Level 7, Good leadership civility, Level 5. Very good."

The three brief messages, especially the seemingly mundane "very good" at the end, deeply shocked Lin Yi.

Judging from the order and intensity of praise given by this eternal deity, he actually values ​​the Level 5 civilization assessment more than his Level 7 personal assessment.
However, before he could recover from that brief praise, the voice that directly affected his soul rang out again, posing a startling question:

"Are you willing to become your teacher?"

Become an apprentice?!
I?
Lin Yi felt as if his mind had been struck by an invisible bolt of lightning, leaving him momentarily blank.

He even wondered if it was due to interference from the space environment or if he was hallucinating from being too nervous.

Become an apprentice?!
An eternal deity, having only met me for the first time, wants to take me as his disciple?!
This was completely beyond his expectations and imagination.

For practitioners, taking a master is a far more serious and intimate connection than blood ties.

In the long river of life, the master-disciple relationship often signifies the transmission of traditions, the allocation of resources, and even the binding of fates.

It is a community where everyone prospers or suffers together.

Indeed, Lin Yi had no doubt whatsoever about whether the other party was capable of teaching him.

The difference in their realms is like heaven and earth. The other party's perspective and understanding of the rules must far surpass his current level, just as he can easily guide Chen Yu and those star core-level beings.

To be able to become a disciple of an eternal deity is an incredible opportunity that countless geniuses in the universe dream of but can never obtain.

But
He knew nothing about the nature, origin, or purpose of this deity.

They didn't even know the other person's name.

Why would the other party want to take me as a disciple?
Is it simply about appreciating the talent and leadership skills you demonstrated during the assessment?
Or is it suspicion, or even the awareness of something unusual about oneself?

This thought, like an icicle, instantly pierced the fire in Lin Yi's heart, bringing a chilling cold.

Having experienced the dark side of the world in his previous life, he knew that he had no other choice in this matter.

reject?

Lin Yi immediately ruled out this option from his mind.

He couldn't be sure what the consequences would be of refusing an invitation personally extended by an eternal deity.

That is something that he and the Blue Star civilization cannot withstand at present.

The "goodwill" bestowed by the strong can be met with unpredictable reactions if it is rejected.

At best, it means missing out on opportunities; at worst, it could lead to unimaginable disaster.

The situation on Earth is currently very promising. Having just received the resurrection reward, it is on the eve of a great leap forward. He would never dare to gamble the future of the entire civilization on the magnanimity of this god.

This may seem like a choice, but it is actually the only path.

All hesitation and deliberation, even the slightest unease deep in one's heart, are completed in the blink of an eye.

From the outside, Lin Yi merely paused slightly, as if shocked by this sudden suggestion.

The next moment, without any superfluous words or movements, he maintained his bowing posture and responded clearly in an unwavering tone, his voice echoing through the starry sky through the source energy:
"Disciple Lin Yi greets Master."

He didn't say anything polite like "I feel deeply honored" or "I am extremely humbled"; his actions spoke for themselves.

He bowed decisively, thus binding his own fate closely to that of this unknown deity.

The moment he finished speaking, something unexpected happened.

The majestic figure in front of them, composed of endless light and shadow and runes of life and death, underwent a visible change.

The light and shadow, which were originally illusory and hazy, seemingly existing between existence and non-existence, began to shrink and condense inward at an astonishing speed.

The ever-flowing runes are no longer merely superficial decorations; they seem to have come alive, like billions of tiny stars, attracting and combining with each other according to some supreme Dao trajectory.

The light was no longer dazzling, but instead became restrained and profound, like refined steel that had shed its ostentation and revealed its essential sharpness.

In the blink of an eye, the body of light and shadow runes that was so dazzling that it could not be looked at had vanished.

Instead, there is an incredibly solid and tangible figure.

He wore a suit of armor whose magnificence was beyond description.

The armor has a deep dark gold color, as if it were forged from the solidified core of a star. Its surface is covered with dark currents like liquid energy. Upon closer inspection, it is actually countless extremely subtle law patterns running on their own.

The armor's design is full of power and ancient mystery. The shoulder armor resembles a raised dragon's head, the breastplate is outlined with a perfect streamline, and the arm guards and boots are inlaid with dark crystals that seem to devour light. Overall, it exudes a magnificent aura and supreme majesty that has endured countless years and conquered countless worlds.

Beyond his armor, his tall and imposing figure was evident, as if he were born for battle and conquest.

His face was shrouded in a soft yet impenetrable energy glow, obscuring the details. One could only vaguely sense the chiseled contours beneath, and a pair of calm and deep eyes.

The gaze that fell on Lin Yi no longer carried the pure, soul-chilling pressure of before, but instead possessed a sense of peace.

He stood there quietly, replacing the previous light and shadow, becoming the absolute center of this starry sky.

Lin Yi remained motionless, maintaining his posture of bowing to his master. He knew that from this moment on, his life trajectory, and the future of Blue Star civilization, would be set on a completely unknown new course because of this bow.

And the valiant figure solidified from endless light and shadow and life and death runes, after Lin Yi performed the apprenticeship ceremony without hesitation, the calm voice that directly affected the depths of his soul rang out again.

"My name is Xuchen."

These five simple words seemed to contain the power of some kind of rule, deeply imprinting the name "Xuchen" into Lin Yi's consciousness, making it indelible.

"I have fifteen disciples and more than three hundred registered disciples."

"You are my sixteenth disciple."

Xu Chen's voice remained devoid of emotion; he was simply stating a fact.

But Lin Yi felt a chill run down his spine. Fifteen direct disciples and over three hundred nominal disciples.

This means that he is not unique; before him, many other geniuses had been chosen by this deity named Xuchen.

How could someone who can catch the eye of an eternal deity be mediocre?

The future of the sect will likely not be peaceful.

This presents a strong backdrop, but it may also imply potential competition and challenges.

As Xu Chen spoke, a glimmer of light appeared out of thin air in front of him, quickly stretched and deformed, and finally condensed into a strange patch about the size of a palm, as thin as a cicada's wing, with a semi-transparent, liquid luster.

It floats silently in the vacuum, its surface covered with countless fine energy patterns that are almost invisible to the naked eye, flickering like breathing.

"The Purple Gold Star Connection has been established, but its receiving fleet is still en route and will take more than twenty years to arrive."

"Therefore, I directly created a 'Pan-Spirit Alliance Virtual Network' login device for you."

"Is the Purple Gold Star Alliance still on its way?"

Lin Yi's heart stirred.

As for the Pan-Spirit Alliance virtual network launcher, Lin Yi wasn't surprised.

For a deity governed by the laws of illusion, creating such a thing is a piece of cake; after all, he created all the Spirit Crystals and Abyss Beasts during the entire assessment period.

Lin Yi guessed that his master had given him this thing because he wanted him to have access to information in the universe before the Purple Gold Star Alliance arrived.

"As for what the Pan-Spirit Alliance virtual network is, the universal language, and other basic cosmic knowledge, as well as the basic information and contact methods between your master and your fellow disciples..."

Before Xu Chen finished speaking, another slightly larger ball of light quickly formed in front of him, with countless streams of information seemingly flowing inside.

Lin Yi understood immediately, knowing that his master was imparting essential common sense.

He didn't hesitate or take any precautions.

In the face of someone like Xu Chen, being on guard is meaningless.

Lin Yi raised his hand and gently touched the ball of light with his fingertips.

Touch is not a physical thing, but a connection at the level of the soul.

"buzz"

A massive amount of information, like a floodgate opened, rushed into his mind in an instant, its impact far greater and more complex than when he received the civilization assessment information before.

The pronunciation, grammar, and writing system of a universal language.

The origin, architecture, basic functional areas, access rules and taboos of the Pan-Spirit Alliance virtual network.

There was also a brief list, with the master's name "Xu Chen" prominently displayed above, followed by the names of the senior disciples and basic introductions and contact information. Most of them only had code names or titles, such as "Senior Brother Zhenyu" and "Third Senior Sister Qianhuan," without detailed biographical information, and there were only seven people listed.

Below that are the names of the registered disciples, which also number less than three hundred, but only a little over one hundred.

The information flow, though vast, was organized into a clear and orderly manner by a gentle yet powerful force, as if a thick encyclopedia had been directly "installed" into his memory bank, which he could access and consult at any time without impacting his own subjective consciousness.

At that moment, Xu Chen's voice rang out again.
"My true self is currently stationed at the border of the human race. This avatar also has other matters to attend to, so I will not stay any longer."

"Once the Zijin Star Alliance personnel arrive, make proper arrangements for the follow-up matters of the civilization."

"If you have any doubts or encounter any difficulties in your cultivation, you can use this login device to access the Pan-Spirit Alliance virtual network and contact me."

Lin Yi bowed his head: "Disciple understands and will obey Master's orders."

Xu Chen nodded slightly, his gaze, shrouded in radiance, seemed to pierce through endless space and land on Lin Yi.

He continued:

"During this period, the first thing you need to do is to clarify your path forward and decide which faction to join."

"Join a faction."

Lin Yi's heart skipped a beat; he knew a crucial choice had arrived.

The basic knowledge of the universe that Xu Chen just gave him included information about the six major human powers, which is why Xu Chen first reminded him to think about this issue.

This reminder is undoubtedly correct; it is indeed a very important matter.

Because these six major powers cover almost all aspects of human survival and development in the universe, and anyone who wants to develop will basically choose to join one of them.

First is the Human Astral Legion, the strongest military force of the human race. Its discipline is like an iron wall, guarding the vast territory. It is the strongest representative of all forces in terms of direct combat power, and the destination that countless passionate men yearn for.

Secondly, there is the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance, a place where all sorts of people mingle, operating across races and with a very high degree of freedom.

In his previous life, he joined the Leliat Mercenary Group, where he worked as an interstellar mercenary, taking on missions, exploring ruins, and living a life of constant danger. Although dangerous, it was also relatively unconstrained, making it suitable for lone wolves or small teams.

Then there are the Human Star Bank and the Human Interstellar Merchant Guild; these two names always evoke images of endless wealth and resources.

In fact, this is indeed the case.

Starsea Bank controls the lifeline of finance and is said to be able to mobilize unimaginable funds, while the Interstellar Chamber of Commerce controls a vast trade network and logistics channels, with its tentacles reaching into every corner.

There are rumors that they were originally one family, but later separated, but the specific reasons are beyond Lin Yi's knowledge.

There is also the human branch of the Pan-Spirit Alliance virtual network. Although it doesn't sound like a place of fighting and killing, it relies on a virtual network covering the known universe, possesses the most cutting-edge information and the most convenient communication platform, and its influence is ubiquitous. It is the best way to understand the universe and acquire knowledge.

Finally, there was the Human Bloodblade Legion.

There is very little information about it. It is said that there are not many people in it, and the threshold is frighteningly high. On the Pan-Spirit Alliance virtual network, there are only a few vague rumors, saying that they are a bunch of lunatics.

In his previous life, he had roamed the starry sea for many years. He only knew that it was one of the major powers, but he had never encountered it or heard of the specific deeds of the Bloodblade Legion members.

Originally, based on Lin Yi's plan and his past life experience, choosing the relatively free and suitable Cosmic Mercenary Alliance for small team development was almost a logical step.

There, he found familiar rules and ways of life.

But now, the situation is completely different.

He became a disciple of the eternal god Xu Chen, and this relationship will inevitably influence his choices.

The inclinations of his sect are perhaps a factor he should consider more.

However, the information we just obtained contained absolutely no information about the faction to which our master and fellow disciples belonged.
This left him somewhat uncertain.

Did the master reveal it unintentionally?

Or is there a deeper meaning behind this?
In a flash, Lin Yi made the safest decision, which would also best test his master's attitude.

He bowed respectfully again and asked earnestly:

“Master, I am ignorant and do not know much about these forces. I wonder which side you belong to? I would like to follow in your footsteps so that I may have a clear direction.”

This is the most direct way he can think of to ask questions, expressing both his willingness to follow and his hope to receive clear guidance.

The vacuum fell silent for a moment.

Immediately, Lin Yi heard Xu Chen's laughter in his mind, which sounded like a mix of amusement and helplessness.
"Heh. Follow me?"

Xu Chen's voice carried a lingering hint of laughter, calm yet containing an indescribable meaning.

"You are not qualified yet."

The words were direct and cruel, without the slightest euphemism.

"When you break through to the Transformation Realm level..."

"And, when you feel like you're tired of living."

"Let's reconsider joining 'Bloodblade'."

(End of this chapter)